Rules are written and then rewritten to make sure that both the players and the sport remain relevant. Particularly, when fans demand diverse roles from the drivers, one cannot help but obey these requests. A similar situation forced the Joe Gibbs Racing Team to rewrite its rulebook and make amends to its policies related to dirt racing. A rule that was made official two years back was again redone and this time, the two driving forces in the front seat are Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe. 

With a profound background in the domain of dirt racing, it seems as though the new bench of the Joe Gibbs Racing Team drives strength from this domain. Except for Denny Hamlin, Bell, Briscoe, and even Gibbs belong to the dirt racing genre. 

Bell and Briscoe become the torchbearers of new rules

The year 2024 has been quite eventful for the Joe Gibbs Racing Team as the team has undergone rapid changes. Be it new drivers, reshuffling of positions within the team and even dealing with Hamlin’s loss yet again- there are too many changes. However, the most recent news came when Joe Gibbs Racing made it official that they have reversed their policy pertaining to dirt racing.

Previously, it was a mandate that drivers who are associated with Joe Gibbs Racing are not permitted to try their hands at anything except competing full-time for the team. However, given the rising demands from fans, the team was forced to rethink its decision. This rule change was a fresh breather as most drivers who are now associated with the team have a profound impact on the world of dirt racing as well. The change in the rules came after Christopher Bell, Ty Gibbs, and Chase Briscoe had expressed their will to combat dirt car racing while competing in the NASCAR 2025 season. 

Speaking of the new changes in dirt car racing policy, Dave Alpern, JGR President, said, “I think they just wore him out a little bit. But to be honest with you, really, look, Christopher was great about it and I know many of his fans, dirt fans were disappointed about it. Look, I know there were few injuries and Kyle Larson got hurt and a couple of the guys got hurt a couple of years back. Really, people forget we have almost 500 employees and it is not just the employees, there are sponsors and the people who are counting on the drivers. We felt like it is our responsibility. We gotta protect these guys. This is their primary job. I understood there were some folks that kind of pushed coaching a little bit and it was just a matter of letting things settle a little bit. Now you get like, Chase Briscoe comes in and he likes to…I personally believe, when those guys go run those things, it breathes new life into them and helps them over there”.

However, this allowance to appear for dirt racing along with competing full-time in the season does not come without regulations. JGR has a formal evaluation procedure in place that will carefully analyze every request that the drivers put in. Based on the same, a final verdict will be given out by the team on whether the driver can choose to pursue the other interest. 

One of the top reasons why JGR did not permit the drivers to opt in for other forms of interest is because there was a notion that drivers might end up losing their focus. However, with such a profound background in dirt racing, the team had to think about a way would consider the passion of the majority of drivers. Even the newly signed Chase Briscoe is known to be a prominent dirt track racer. This shift in policy reflects Joe Gibbs Racing’s adaptability and commitment to balancing driver passion with team objectives.

By allowing drivers like Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe to reconnect with their roots in dirt racing, the team hopes to foster renewed enthusiasm and success on and off the NASCAR track. 

Christopher Bell reacts to Joe Gibbs’ change in policy

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It seems as though not only the fans, but even the drivers are in major shock about this sudden shift in JGR’s shift in policy. Recently, the No. 20 driver,  Christopher Bell opened up in detail about how he felt about this policy change. He mentioned that although he was initially taken aback and shocked by this sudden leniency in rules, it does give the drivers ample opportunities to actualize their potential and keep in touch with the dirt tracks.

After all, being true to one’s origin can always have an impact on the development of driving strategies. He said, “I was definitely caught off guard by the change of policy. I was super shocked, but with Chase coming on board and Ty growing an interest in dirt racing, it’s nice we have the majority of our team aligned with it now”. The news has indeed been quite promising for Christopher Bell who has already been able to win the iconic Chili Bowl Midget Nationals three times.

He had marked his victory in the iconic run for three consecutive years – 2017, 2018, and 2019. This feat has been achieved only by him till now and this proves his prowess as a driver. Although he hasn’t been on the tracks since 2022 after Joe Gibbs Racing formally banned the same, one cannot doubt his skills.

Bell expressed optimism about the policy change, stating that it reignites his passion for dirt racing and offers a chance to refine his skills further. He believes this move will not only benefit him personally but also strengthen the team’s overall performance by fostering a more dynamic and well-rounded driving approach.